Auditory Transduction

This course is a step-by-step voyage through the inside of the ear, to the acoustic accompaniment of classical music. Pletsch, a former medical illustration student at the Medical College of Georgia, first built a physical ear model and mapped which frequency ranges hit which parts of the inner ear. He then created digital renderings of each part of the hearing pathway using several software packages. The course describes how the sound waves travel through each portion of the ear, and how hair cells translate the vibrations they induce into nerve impulses.

No Certificate / Course on Audit Track

About Course

The Auditory Transduction course introduces learners to the biological process through which sound waves are converted into electrical signals that the brain can interpret as sound. Through a guided visual explanation of the ear’s internal structures, the course traces the pathway of sound from the outer ear to the inner ear.

Students will explore how sound vibrations travel through the ear, stimulate the cochlea, and activate specialized hair cells that transform mechanical vibrations into nerve impulses. The course provides a clear and engaging overview of the hearing pathway, helping learners understand the physiological basis of auditory perception.

 

Authorship and Attribution

This course has been curated by Riphah International University faculty and staff using publicly available third-party content and Open Educational Resources (OER) for self-paced learning. Learners will engage with curated open-access materials to achieve the course learning outcomes. All third-party content is used under open-access or fair-use policies, while any original materials are developed specifically for this learning experience.

Source and Credits:

  • Instructor: Brandon Pletsch
  • Provider: YouTube (@radiant3d)
  • License: Standard YouTube license

What You'll Learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to: 

  • Define auditory transduction and explain its importance in the hearing process.
  • Outline the sequence of sound transmission through the ear, from sound wave entry to neural signal generation.
  • Explain how sound energy changes forms across stages: Acoustic → Mechanical → Hydraulic → Electrochemical
  • Relate auditory transduction to clinical relevance, such as how damage to hair cells affects hearing.

Prerequisites

To be successful in this course, you should have a background in Basic anatomical knowledge of Ear, and its structures.

Who Can Take This Course?

This course is for Undergraduate students of Speech and language pathology.

Course Outline

Anatomy and Physiology II

Auditory Transduction by Brandon (Video)

Skills You Will Gain

Hearing Pathway Understanding Sound Wave Transmission Analysis Cochlear Function Interpretation Hair Cell Mechanism Understanding Auditory Signal Conversion

Course Information

Duration

Approximately 10 Minutes

Course Information

Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Learning Mode

Fully Online (Asynchronous)

Learning Type

Self Paced

Language

Instructor/Curator

Course Instructor
  • Tehreem Ijaz profile image
    Tehreem Ijaz Assistant Professor, Faculty of Rehabilitation & Allied Health Sciences